FAKENHAM AREA PARTNERSHIP ‘community interest company’ Community Consultation Report 2008

‘achieving together’ © Area Partnership FOREWORD

Fakenham Area Partnership was formed in 2004 by a small group of volunteers to encourage local groups to work together for the benefit of their community. Initially it was known as Fakenham Forum. It is now one of seven area partnerships across North , each of them centred on the region’s principal towns. Registered as a Community Interest Company, the partnership is headed by a board of directors, has its office at Fakenham Connect and is supported by the Community Partnership, both financially and administratively. In addition to Fakenham, its reach extends to 20 parishes surrounding the town. Initially the partnership put its main effort towards two key projects which it continues to support. These are a Tourist Information Point housed in the town library and a summer display of hanging flower baskets outside town centre shops and businesses. Following the appointment of a coordinator in 2006, a major consultation exercise sought to gather information on community needs and local priorities. This so-called Health Check enabled the partnership to build up a picture of the principal concerns of both the town and its hinterland. In 2007, an area of land close to the was acquired on behalf of the partnership at auction. Edmondson’s Acres is just over five acres of pasture which is being managed in association with the Wensum Valley Trust, DEFRA and the town council. Thanks to a Community Project Fund, the partnership has encouraged applications for grants from community groups in both the town and parishes. It has been able to support a wide variety of small projects which make a real difference to people’s lives.

© Fakenham Area Partnership Contents

1. Introduction 2. General Information 3. Transport and Employment 4. Community 5. Leisure, Housing and Environment 6. Young People 7. And Finally 8. Action Plan

1. Introduction

Welcome to the Fakenham Area Partnership Community Health Check. This work has been funded by the North Norfolk Community Partnership.

The aim of the consultation was to seek local residents’ views on a variety of subjects to try and ascertain the priorities for the area. This will identify local needs and provide an evidence database for potential projects which intend to address the identified priorities.

Nearly 8,000 questionnaires were distributed within the Partnership Area with a return of around 10%. We also carried out a specific consultation with younger residents to balance the number of replies from this age group.

We are pleased with the response and thank everyone who took the time to complete the questionnaire or file one online.

“Fakenham Area Partnership aims to encourage local people, groups and organisations to work together for the benefit of the whole community. Through consultation and mutual support we aim to promote and improve community, economic and environmental sustainability.”

The aims and objectives of the Fakenham Area Partnership are:

Ÿ To create a support network to pull together ideas from the community. Ÿ To help community groups find and access funding to bring their ideas to life. Ÿ To encourage a safe and social environment, which offers a variety of interests for all ages. Ÿ To encourage a vibrant economy, promoting business development and tourism. Ÿ To promote an attractive and welcoming environment. Ÿ To foster a culture of lifelong learning and promote equality of opportunities for all. Ÿ To develop the Partnership as an effective means of delivery and co-ordination.

3 © Fakenham Area Partnership 2. General Information

Fakenham Area Partnership is made up of 21 parishes as well as Fakenham itself - Questionnaires were made available to all via door to door delivery, an online version and also from various pick up points. The health check itself was publicised through the local press, the partnership website and various public meetings and displays. Around three quarters of the replies came from residents who live in the Fakenham parish with the remainder split between the other 20. No replies were received from .

Area Partnership, population spread and demographics

Barsham 0.40% 0.30% Dunton 0.40% Fakenham 75.70% 2.10% 0.40% 1.10% 4.40% 1.40% 1.40% 1.40% 1.80% Raynham 0.80% 3.20% Sculthorpe 3.20% 1.30% 0.10% Tattersett 0.0% Thurning 0.10% 0.40% Wood Norton 0.40%

4 © Fakenham Area Partnership The majority of respondents were female 58% as opposed to 42% of men Male More than half of the respondents to the main questionnaire were aged 41 or over. Female 42% 58% See page 13 An additional outreach survey addressed the initial under representation of younger people.

Under 16 1% 16-19 3.20% 20-26 2.40% 27-40 14.10% 41-60 32.90% over 60 46.40%

Residents were questioned on their knowledge of local government representation. The majority of respondents did not know who their District, Parish or Town Councillors were, or where council meetings were held . The percentage was roughly the same in all three cases. However 71% were able to identify their member of parliament.

Yes Yes 41.4% 34.8% No 58.6% No 65.2%

Do you know who your Town Do you know who your District Councillor is? or Parish Councillors are?

Yes Yes 71.2% 40.7% No 59.3% No 28.8%

Do you know where and when your local Do you know who your local MP is? parish or town council holds its meetings?

5 © Fakenham Area Partnership 3. Transport and Employment

Nearly half of the people questioned use a car to get to work, college or the shops. Over a quarter were environmentally conscious and either used pedal power or walked. Over 12% of people are dependent upon public transport, with the majority choosing bus or train.

What form of transport do you use to get to work, college, shops? (indicate all forms used regularly)

Train 0.7% Bus 9.1% Car 47.8% Bike 7.8% Walk 22.9% Lift 4% Disability Scooter 1% Public Transport 2.8% Other 3.8%

Are you dependent on public transport? If you use public transport please indicate which Yes 12.7%

Train 25.1% Bus 64.5% Community 5.4% Bus Community 1.1% No Scheme 87.3% Other 4.1%

How Frequently do you use public transport?

A few times a month 42.50%

A few times a year 11.30%

Most Days 7.10%

Most weeks 2.90%

Never 36.20%

6 © Fakenham Area Partnership The partnership area is quite rural and travelling from A to B can be difficult when relying upon public transport. Many households have both parents in work and therefore transport is a major consideration. Just over half of respondents have 2 cars in the household and nearly a third with 3 or more. Only a small percentage do not have a car.

How many cars are in your household?

None 13.40%

1 50.60%

2 29.30%

3 or more 6.80%

Around 6% of respondents were unemployed, 36% were in employment, just under a 10th were self employed, but the majority were recorded as retired.

What is your employment status? Employed 36.4% Retired 44.8% Self Employed 9.2% Student 3.5% Unemployed 6.1%

Quite a large number of those in work, do so on a part-time If employed or self employed basis. Just under half work in the Fakenham area, around where do you work? 5% work from home. Those who work in Norwich and nearby towns made up less than one fifth.

Do you work? Full Time 31.70%

N/A 49.90%

Part Time 18.40%

Fakenham 49.30% Norwich 4.90% Kings Lynn 3.30% Dereham 2.20% Swaffham 0.80% Wells 2.20% Home 4.90% Village where you live 1.60% Other 30.90%

7 © Fakenham Area Partnership Questions relating to the type of employment indicated that almost one quarter of respondents were employed in the public sector.

Type of Employment

Retail 9.90% Farming 2.10% Factory Work 5.30% Office 14.20% Leisure & Tourism 3.50% Catering 4.30% Public Sector 22.70% Other 38%

Please indicate which areas of employment there is more of a need for in the area

Retail 16.70% Farming 5.90% Factory Work 15.60% Office 10.10% Leisure & Tourism 13.80% Catering 3.80% Public Sector 8.70% Other 25.40%

8 © Fakenham Area Partnership 4. Community

Respondents do most of their shopping in the local area, but shop in Norwich, Kings Lynn and Dereham from time to time.

Please indicate up to 3 areas where When it came to tourism over 85% felt that it was you do most of your general shopping either quite important or very important to encourage tourism in the area, only 2% stated that it should not be encouraged.

How important do you feel it is to encourage tourism in the area?

Fakenham 38.10% Norwich 19.40% Kings Lynn 19.30% Dereham 14.60% Very Important 48.30% Swaffham 2.10% Quite Important 38.20% Wells 2.50% Not Important 6.70% Other 3.90% Should be encouraged 2.00% Dont know 4.80%

In addition to questions about general shopping and tourism, residents were asked about the farmers market, internet access, the use of the library and community Do you shop at the Fakenham Market or groups. Farmers' Market more than 6 times a year?

The Farmers Market is very popular and provides a good service for the local residents and nearly two thirds of those replying use the market more than 6 times a year.

The town library is fairly well used but take up of the Yes No mobile facility is low representing less than 1%. 63.50% 36.50%

Which library do you use?

Town 61% Mobile 0.80% Both 1.50% None 36.70%

9 © Fakenham Area Partnership Over half of the respondents have internet access at home and when questioned about better / additional access over 40% agreed that there could be more made available to the community.

Do you have internet access at home?

No Yes 40.5% 59.5%

Do you feel there is a need to make more internet access available to the community within the area?

Strongly Agree 21.60% Quite Agree 19.40% Neither agree or disagree 28.50% Disagree 4.30% Dont Know 26.20%

Quite a large number of people belong to a community group or organisation. The two main reasons for not doing so were lack of Do you belong to any community groups or organisations? time and nothing of interest available to them.

Yes 39.5% No 60.5%

If you are not a member of a community group or organisation - why not?

Lack of time 33.30% Lack of transport 4.20% Not aware of what 19.20% groups available Nothing of interest 21.80% available Don't know 9.60% Other reason 11.70%

10 © Fakenham Area Partnership 5. Leisure, Housing and Environment

Residents were asked about their thoughts on which age groups need more leisure facilities, top of the list were the teenage group 13-19 years followed by retired groups.

Which age groups would you like to see more leisure facilities for?

Under 5's 7.20% 6 to 12 10.70% 13 to 19 32.60% Adults 19% Retired 21.90% Disabled 8.70%

Being a rural area the environment and housing are very hot topics and residents were keen to give their opinion on these two areas. Recycling Facilities, Parks and Open Spaces scored highest followed closely by Nature and Environmental Conservation.

Which environmental issues do you feel are important to the area?

Parks & Open Spaces 22.40% Recycling Facilities 24% Nature & Environmental 20.10% Conservation Reduce Traffic Pollution 14.80% Renewable Energy 15.70% Other 3%

Is there a need for more affordable housing in the area?

Don’t Know Two thirds of people felt there was a need for more 21.9% affordable housing and around 12% did not. Yes No On the siting of affordable housing the responses 66% were quite evenly split with the edge of village or 12.1% town being the most popular answer at 36%

11 © Fakenham Area Partnership Where do you think affordable housing should be developed?

Infill 22.80% Edge of village or 36.80% town Dedicated estates or 24.70% developments other 15.70%

If you walk or cycle where do you do it? Walking or cycling has many benefits, including health, the environment and the domestic Travelling to work 8.40% budget. Most cycled for pleasure or Social event 9.70% exercise and over 60% said they would walk or cycle more if better Pleasure 38.80% walking or cycling routes were made Exercise 33.60% available Other 9.50%

If more walking or cycle routes were made available would you walk or cycle...?

A little more 29.50%

A lot more 31.20%

About the same 37.80%

Less than now 1.50%

12 © Fakenham Area Partnership 6. Young People

Young people are frequently difficult to reach, but with some targeted outreach work additional data relevant to this survey was collected. At the Pensthorpe ‘Wild About The Wensum’ event young people were encouraged to express their thoughts in 3 areas.

1. What they liked about the area where they live. 2. What they did not like about the area. 3. What would they like more of in the area.

1. Wildlife and open spaces followed by living in a quiet place and having lots of friends nearby were the most popular preferences.

2. The most popular dislikes were busy roads, traffic and poor facilities. Housing development on fields was raised by two of our young responders

3. Better leisure facilities scored highest in a list of requests for improvements, with particular emphasis on the need for a swimming pool.

In addition to talking to young people at the Pensthorpe event feedback was received through the EP Youth “Chatterbus” project.

13 © Fakenham Area Partnership 7. And Finally

From a number of options please indicate 10 areas you feel are in need of improvement.

At the end of the questionnaire respondents were asked to identify the ten top priorities for them in their area in which they live. 27 subject headings were available some of which had been covered earlier, others had not such as GP services.

Overall the final readings were fairly evenly spread. The top 6 priorities were : Recycling 4.20% Ÿ Activities for Teenagers/Young People Parks & Open Spaces 4.90% Ÿ Anti-Social Behaviour Tourism & Heritage 3% Ÿ Availability of Affordable Decent Housing Clean Streets 5% Ÿ Efforts to Reduce Crime Sports & Leisure Facilities 4% Ÿ Clean Streets Access to GP Services 3.50% Ÿ Parks and Open Spaces Nature & Environmental Conservation 3.60% Adult Education 2.90% Education Provision 0.90% Activities for the Over 60's 3% Development of New Housing 3.50% Disability & Equality Relations 1.70% Facilities for Young Children 3% Community Facilities 3.70% Road Safety 3.70% Road & Pavement Repairs 4.70% Efforts to Reduce crime 5.20% Access to Hospital Services 3.80% Training & Job Prospects 3.10% Public Transport 3.40% Availability of Affordable Decent Housing 5.20% Renewable Energy 3.10% Anti-Social Behaviour 6.10% Activities for Teenagers/Young People 6.60% Economic Development 2.70% Health & Welfare 3.30% Arts & Culture 2.20%

14 © Fakenham Area Partnership What people want in Fakenham – 437 replies

One of the open questions we asked was - What leisure facilities or activities would you like to see where you live or nearby?

258 people of the 437 replies requested a swimming pool. This represented over 50% of the replies and was over 3 times more popular than the next favourite suggestion

The top 10 replies are listed

Swimming pool 258

13 – 19 provision/ 80

More facilities for everyone 70

Youth centre/more youth 49 groups Adult education 20

More gym and sports 19 facilities Community centre 18

Facilities for children of all 16 ages Skate boarding park 14

Better play parks for young 13 ones

15 © Fakenham Area Partnership In addition to the question about leisure facilities and activities, residents were asked 2 general questions:

1) What ideas do you have for improving the general quality of life in your area? 2) Write one thing you would change in your area

Comments were analysed and then summarised as the “top ten” most popular suggestions.

Swimming pool 383

Reduce Pollution and litter / 175 improve recycling

Better transport links/ integrated 148 public transport

Reduction of 132 vandalism/graffiti/petty crime/anti-social behaviour Economic development/jobs 130

Clean/well maintained 128 /footpaths/streets/pavements/d og mess/public facilities Traffic restriction or pedestrian of 105 town centre

More safe leisure/sports facilities 103

More/better shops/including 77 village shops

Footpaths/cycle routes linked to 55 schools or town

16 © Fakenham Area Partnership SUMMARY OF FINDINGS

This survey set out to provide the residents of Fakenham and twenty- one surrounding parishes with an opportunity to air their views on the priority needs of the area. Its findings will serve to inform discussions about future development of the area and the published document will provide valuable evidence in the funding application process when pursuing Action Plan projects. The document will be reviewed regularly and updated by the inclusion of subsequent consultations such as local Parish Plans.

More Leisure Facilities and Activities for Young People

The need for a swimming pool has been specifically identified. A popular choice which would offer health benefits for all age groups. Better facilities and wider participation in activities can have a positive impact in helping to reduce anti-social behaviour.

Anti-Social Behaviour & Reduction in Crime

The partnership area has boundaries in common with the local Safer Neighbourhood Teams with whom they work closely to maximise the potential benefits of initiative and projects such as Speedwatch.

Conclusion

Fakenham Area Partnership has set out an initial Action Plan addressing the challenges emerging from this survey. A key factor determining success in any of these aims will be the development of partnership working across all local organisations: statutory and voluntary, parishes, groups, clubs and the wider community. Our combined efforts will make a difference.

17 © Fakenham Area Partnership FAKENHAM AREA PARTNERSHIP ACTION PLAN 2008/9

PRIORITY PROJECT PARTNERS FUNDING JUSTIFICATION

PUBLIC Publish Public Survey FAP NNCP To provide evidential CONSULTATION of partnership area General Public base for project activity ascertaining local and future funding.

FACILITIES FOR Millennium Park Town Council (Charity External Funding to be Addressing Health YOUNG PEOPLE redevelopment - land Trustees) sought Check priorities and upgrade play/climbing Salvation Army Youth Town Council Grants thematic group equipment in Leader objectives in community park. NNDC Councillors. Community FAP Strategy 2008/11 to improve public amenities.

CRIME & CCTV at Millennium Town Council External Funding Health Check & ANTI-SOCIAL Park Police Town Council Grants Community Strategy BEHAVIOUR Neighbourhood groups priority / Thematic Group "Quality of Life" target

COMMUNITY Resource Centre - FAP Lottery Health Check priority FACILITIES offices/meeting rooms Community Groups NNDC Community Strategy & social amenity for NNDC External funds objective various comm.groups. Town Council/ User groups "Quality of Life" target Social Services Public Pensthorpe EP Youth

OPEN SPACES Develop Edmondsons Wensum Valley Trust External Funding for Health Check priority Acres amenity eg. Town Council Environmental projects Community Strategy Guided Tours, FAP aim signage/educat/info FACT "Quality of Life" target Library Garden - Local Govt pleasant 'green' public DEFRA seating space on edge Landowners of shopping centre NOA Pensthorpe Trust Learning Community

18 © Fakenham Area Partnership FAKENHAM AREA PARTNERSHIP ACTION PLAN 2008/9

PRIORITY PROJECT PARTNERS FUNDING JUSTIFICATION

ENVIRONMENT 'Bin the Plastic Bag' Possibly Wymondham External Funders Health Check concern Promotion of jute Farmers Market & eg Energy Co. In line with Comm recyclable bags Pensthorpe/Wild about FAP Strategy objectives: Fakenham in Bloom Wensum Day Bus. Sponsors "Quality of Life" target FAP FACT Town Council

SPORTS & Swimming Pool High School Lottery Public Survey all-time LEISURE Local Authorities Local Auth favourite FACILITIES Community Comm Community Strategy target "Quality of Life" target No.1 "What People Want" poll

ROAD SAFETY Speedwatch Community/Safer FAP Health Check priority Neighbourhood teams Comm. Strategy FAP objective "Quality of Life" target

BUSINESS Manage mthly Farmers' FAP Self financing Health Check priority ENTERPRISE Market. Assist promote Town Cl. Comm. local business, join Local Farmers & Strategy objective Business Forum & Suppliers "Quality of Life" target Tourism Round Table North Norfolk Business Xmas Fair - FunDay- Forum promotional events Local Businesses Chamber of Trade

TOURISM TIP - Produce up to FAP FAP/Market Tolls Health Check priority date Visitor Guide/map Library Grants Comm. Strategy Co-operation with Gas Gas Museum objective Museum

AFFORDABLE Campaign, promote FAP Health Check HOUSING and monitor local Town Council Comm. Strategy development. Hsg Trust Improved Housing' General Public

19 © Fakenham Area Partnership Fakenham Area Partnership

‘achieving together’

www.fakenhamareapartnership.co.uk

20 © Fakenham Area Partnership